Bellingham
History - The
First Bellinghamsters

The original settlers of the Bellingham Wa Area Were the ancestors of
area Native
tribes were the Nooksacks, Lummi, and
the Semiahmoo indians. Decedents of these tribes
now operate colorful casinos offering
25 hour gaming--- from keno & slot machines to Las Vegas
style table games.

How
Did Bellingham Get Its Name?

During his exploration of Puget Sound in 1792, Capt. George Vancouver
stopped in Birch Bay and sent out smaller boats to explore nearby waterways and
coastline. He chose to honor his friend Sir William Bellingham
by naming a nearby bay after him. Capt. George Vancouver never
actually visited Bellingham Bay.

Bellingham became a city when three small
area towns merged together. Fairhaven, Sehome, And Whatcom.
The City of Bellingham Was Born And Continues To Grow And
Flourish Today.

Gold Fever

The Fraser River Gold Rush of 1858
attracted more than 10,000 people to the
area and later it was lumber that drew even more people to settle in the
Bellingham area. Bellingham once had trolleys running from Fairhaven to downtown
Bellingham, and down Electric Avenue to Silver Beach where there was once an
amusement park with a rollercoaster and Ferris wheel called White City.

Other nearby cities in Whatcom county
include
Blaine, Ferndale, Everson, & the Dutch community of Lynden.